How to Convert a Dual-Purpose Vehicle to a Private Car in Sri Lanka

What Does "Converting" a Vehicle's Class Mean in Sri Lanka?

Every vehicle registered with the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) is recorded under a class — private car, dual purpose, motor lorry, motor coach and so on — and that class sits on your CR book. Converting the class means applying to DMT to have that classification officially changed, for example from dual purpose to private car, so your revenue licence, insurance category and the way the vehicle shows up on official records all follow the new class.

This is different from changing the colour or engine number on a CR book, and different from a normal ownership transfer. It's a technical reclassification, handled by DMT's Technical Branch, and it needs the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic's approval before it's final.

Key facts

• DMT defines a dual-purpose vehicle as one with a Gross Vehicle Weight up to 3,500 kg and seating up to 9 seats including the driver — this covers most double cabs, vans, pickups and ordinary cars (DMT Vehicle Classes).
• Class conversion is only allowed within 25 years of the vehicle's first registration date (DMT Change of Attributes page).
• The file is approved by the Technical Branch and the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, then processed at DMT's Werahera office.
• You apply using form CMT 72 (Change of Licensing Authority / Change of Other Particulars in the Certificate of Registration).
• Listed DMT conversion fees include Rs. 30,000 for dual purpose to motor coach and Rs. 25,000 for dual purpose to motor lorry — as of November 2026, per DMT's published charges schedule. The fee for dual purpose to private car isn't listed separately, so confirm it at the branch.
• A technical inspection confirms the vehicle actually meets the weight and seating limits of the class you're applying for.
• Converting the class can change your revenue licence rate and your insurance category, so check both before and after.

Why Would You Want to Change a Vehicle's Class?

Owners usually ask for this when a vehicle was registered in a class that costs more to run or insure than it should for how it's actually used. A common example is a double cab or panel van that was first registered as a light motor lorry and the owner wants it reclassified as dual purpose, or a dual-purpose vehicle the owner wants moved to private car class because it's used purely as a family car. The motivation is almost always revenue licence cost, insurance premiums, or simply wanting the CR book to match how the vehicle is actually used.

Before you go through the process, check what your vehicle would actually cost to license and insure under the class you want — ask your insurer directly, since rates vary by class and use, and DMT's own rate card is the final word on revenue licence cost.

Can Any Vehicle Be Converted?

No — the 25-year rule is the main limit. DMT's Change of Attributes guidance states that conversion of the vehicle class is only possible within 25 years from the date of first registration. If your vehicle is older than that, DMT won't process a class change regardless of its condition. There's also a technical check: the vehicle has to physically meet the Gross Vehicle Weight and seating-capacity limits of the class you're applying to move into. You can't convert a 10-seater van into a private car class, for instance, because it fails the seating test for that class.

What Documents Do You Need to Apply?

Based on DMT's published procedure, you'll need:

• The completed CMT 72 application form.
• The vehicle's Certificate of Registration (CR book).
• The Vehicle Identity Card, if your registration number starts with an English letter.
• Your NIC.
• A current revenue licence and insurance certificate.
• Supporting technical documentation that shows the vehicle's weight and seating configuration matches the class you're applying for.

Bring the original CR book, not a photocopy, and keep a copy of everything you hand over. If you've lost your CR book, sort that out first — see our guide on getting a duplicate CR book before you start a class conversion.

How Does the Conversion Process Work at the DMT?

The process runs through DMT's Technical Branch rather than your regular provincial revenue licence office. In practice:

1. You submit your CMT 72 application and supporting documents to the Technical Branch for review.
2. The Technical Branch checks the vehicle's specifications against the class you're asking for and prepares the file for approval.
3. The Commissioner General of Motor Traffic has to approve the conversion before it goes further.
4. Once approved, you produce the vehicle and the approved documents at DMT's Werahera office.
5. DMT performs the conversion and issues an updated Certificate of Registration showing the new class.

Because this goes through a central approval step rather than a same-day counter transaction, expect it to take longer than an ownership transfer or a revenue licence renewal. DMT doesn't publish a fixed turnaround time for this process, so ask the Technical Branch for a current estimate when you submit your file.

How Much Does It Cost to Convert a Vehicle's Class?

DMT's published charges schedule lists specific fees for some conversions — Rs. 30,000 to convert a dual-purpose vehicle into a motor coach, and Rs. 25,000 to convert one into a motor lorry, as of November 2026. It does not separately list a fee for converting dual purpose to private car class, so don't assume either of those figures applies to your case. Confirm the exact amount for your conversion directly with DMT's Technical Branch or the Werahera office before you submit your application, since fee schedules are updated from time to time.

What Happens to Your Revenue Licence and Insurance After Conversion?

Your revenue licence fee is set by your vehicle's class and use, so a class change can move you into a different rate band. The same applies to motor insurance — insurers price dual-purpose and commercial-use vehicles differently from private cars. Once your new CR book is issued, go back to your insurer with the updated document to make sure your policy matches the new class; driving on a policy that still names the old class can cause problems at claim time. You can compare current motor insurance options once your documents are updated, and you can check your vehicle's estimated value under the new class if you're thinking of selling afterwards.

What Should You Check Before Buying a Vehicle That's Been Converted — or Needs Converting?

If you're buying a used double cab, van or pickup and the seller mentions it's "dual purpose" or was "converted from lorry class," ask to see the current CR book and confirm the class shown on it matches what you're told verbally. Don't take a seller's word for it — a mismatch between the stated class and the CR book can affect your financing, insurance and resale later. When you meet a seller to check documents, follow our general safety tips for meeting strangers and verifying paperwork. If you're financing the vehicle, check with your leasing company how they treat the class before you commit, and use our monthly payment calculator to work out what the vehicle will actually cost you either way.

Once you've decided on a vehicle, you can browse current listings on Wahanaya or list your own vehicle for sale on /post-ad once its documents are in order. If you're unsure about any part of a class conversion, DMT's own procedure page is the authoritative source — but you can also ask other Sri Lankan vehicle owners who've been through the process on the Wahanaya forum, since real experiences at the Werahera office often fill in details the official pages don't cover.

Sources

• DMT - Change of Attributes
• DMT - Vehicle Classes
• DMT - Charges schedule (PDF)
• Motor Traffic (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2009